Moving Speakers To Mix Audio Tracks

These speakers play different audio tracks depending on which orange square the sit atop. They’re RFID aware and the orange tiles are tags. If you get tired of a track just move the speaker to a different one, or place the speakers next to each other to play the same song. We’re sure there’s a project for us here, it’s just going to take some thinking to figure out what we want to do with it. But the concept is certainly intriguing. Check out the video demonstration after the break.

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/10481179]

[Thanks Ferdinand]

11 thoughts on “Moving Speakers To Mix Audio Tracks

  1. Why not just use RFID tags by themselves? You could leave the speakers stationary and then “swipe” the tags over the reader and hold until the next swipe. This way the sound continually plays and you don’t have to constantly move the speakers.

    It’s certainly an interesting idea, it kind of reminds me of the physical trackers people have built in which you control what sounds are played by placing objects at different locations. one thing that was noticeable is that a couple of the tracks didn’t “mesh” well, they were using different beats and it just sounded awkward it would be interesting if you could incorporate a way to decently mix tracks but that doesn’t seem to be the goal of this project.

    Cool stuff though.

  2. Interesting concept. An alternative would be having the speakers sitting on open core transformers (e.g. electric toothbrush chargers) and getting an induced signal. It may be simpler.

  3. why?
    I think this is the new record holder for ‘useless, expensive’ toys

    hacking is meant to improve things. There comes a point when its just a gluttonous waste of cash.

  4. Interesting, but you’re taking something which you can (already) do very easily in software and instead controlling it via an extremely cumbersome interface. “If you get tired of a track just move the speaker” – come on, really? Move the speaker?

  5. Pretty Cool:) I can see the potential of this Tech being used in Wireless Headphones and with IPods and such devices. Say, in a Museum or other Presentation. As you move through the site, your head phones play the music and dialog automatically changed with each exhibit, with now bleed over between display. Cutting done on noise confusion in such exhibits. I think you have a money maker there:) This would be really great fro Trade shows. With IPods, you could set yours to share the song you are listening to with a fried. You could use it to share play lists and any other data that you want to share. Oops, here come those security concerns!:O I can see a new type of DJ Play Board being made, with controllers being moved around instead of Speakers. Dancers could use this in a beautiful way on a stage. Kind of like the old Dancing Squares Game. But way better! You could use Bird Sounds, Animals, Nature to compose a musical Floor. The possibilities are endless I think!:) Personally, I would like to hide on in my cap or shirt or jacket… And then secretly install my favorite music in every Elevator, Doctors office and any where that they play music for the Public in the World!;) Then where ever I go, I get to hear what I like!:)

    Don

  6. Or put the RFID tags into an ID badge, so that when Mr Wilkonson walks through the security checkpoint at his office, the gate greets him.

    That’s a little far from what they’ve got set up here tho… A setup closer to what’s show in the video would be to toss a couple speakers into the cars on a haunted house or corn maze or whatever, then when you’re driving around, music and sounds will be triggered and played while you’re stopped.

    If you’re doing a DJ show with a larger area, you could incorporate some physical action into the mix with this quite easily too.

    yeah, lots of uses. Some of ’em are actually kind of fun too.

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